Malek Awab

{{Infobox football biography | name = Malek Awab | image = | caption = | fullname = Malek bin Awab | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|01|11|df=y}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120924035159/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=45956/index.html FIFA.com]</ref> | birth_place = Singapore | death_date = | height = {{height|meter=1.66}} | position = Midfielder | years1 = 1980–1984 | clubs1 = Singapore Lions | caps1 = 109 | goals1 = 34 | years2 = 1984–1988 | clubs2 = Kuala Lumpur FA | caps2 = 82 | goals2 = 9 | clubs3 = PDRM FA | years3 = 1999–1989 | years4 = 1990–1994 | clubs4 = Singapore Lions | caps4 = 98 | goals4 = 15 | years5 = 1996 | clubs5 = Tampines Rovers | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 1997 | clubs6 = Home United | caps6 = | goals6 = | clubs7 = Woodlands Wellington FC | years7 = 1998 | nationalyears1 = 1980–1996 | nationalteam1 = Singapore | nationalcaps1 = 121<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.fas.org.sg/news/fas-launches-fas-captains-advisory-panel| title=FAS launches FAS Captains' Advisory Panel| publisher=FAS| access-date=21 March 2014| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008231515/http://www.fas.org.sg/news/fas-launches-fas-captains-advisory-panel| archive-date=8 October 2017| df=dmy-all}}</ref> | nationalgoals1 = }}

'''Malek bin Awab''' is a Singaporean former footballer who played as a midfielder in the 1980s and 1990s. Malek Awab also once held the record for the most number of international caps for his country, Singapore (121 caps).

== Football career ==

=== Club === Malek started his football career with Farrer Park United as a right winger.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=9 March 1998 |title=Malek gets contract |pages=44 |work=The New Paper |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19980309-1.2.55.1 |access-date=4 December 2023 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref>

Malek played for the Kuala Lumpur FA side that won the Malaysia Cup in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|author1=King, Ian|author2=Stokkermans, Karl|name-list-style=amp|date=2002-05-26|title=Malaysia 1988|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/malay88.html|access-date=2009-07-21|archive-date=11 October 2022|website=RSSSF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011094628/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/malay88.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After playing for Kuala Lumpur FA, Malek joined PDRM FA for a year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Low |first=Jeffrey |date=22 October 1996 |title=Jeffrey Low: Thanks a million, legends |pages=36 |work=The New Paper |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19961022-1.2.50.6 |access-date=4 December 2023 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref>

In 1998, Malek joined Woodlands Wellington FC as a sweeper.<ref name=":2" />

=== International === Malek was spotted by national coach Jita Singh and brought on to the national team on 13 October 1980.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Catching Up With: Malek Awab {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3883/features/2013/09/22/4277796/catching-up-with-malek-awab |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926205704/https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3883/features/2013/09/22/4277796/catching-up-with-malek-awab |archive-date=26 September 2013 |access-date=2021-09-29 |website=Goal.com}}</ref>

Malek played in his first international game at King's Cup, Bangkok, 1980.<ref name=":0" />

Representing the Lions in midfield, Malek was often seen running tirelessly for 90 minutes of the game, closing down on opposition players and making cutting runs into the opponents half. Together with Fandi Ahmad, Abbas Saad and V. Sundramoorthy, they formed the backbone of the Singapore team that won the Malaysia Cup in 1994.

Malek played his last international match during the 1996 Tiger Cup.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |author=Shirlynn Ho-Pereira |date=1 March 1998 |title=Three last hurrahs |newspaper=The Sunday Times |url=http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/life/ref/bye3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404062800/http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/life/ref/bye3.html |archive-date=4 April 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

=== Coaching === After retirement from professional football, Malek coaches children at the Kaki Bukit Sports Club.<ref name=":0" />

== Career == Outside of football, Malek is a sales manager for Pacific Sports Private Limited since 1980s.<ref name=":0" />

== Personal life == Malek is married to seamstress Sharifah Nazihah.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=migration |date=2014-06-09 |title=Makan sambil bersantai dengan bekas pemain nasional, Berita - BeritaHarian.sg |url=https://www.beritaharian.sg/sukan/makan-sambil-bersantai-dengan-bekas-pemain-nasional |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=www.beritaharian.sg |language=en |archive-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118195411/https://www.beritaharian.sg/sukan/makan-sambil-bersantai-dengan-bekas-pemain-nasional |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Honours== Singapore Lions *Malaysia Premier League: 1994 *Malaysia Cup: 1980, 1994

==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3883/features/2013/09/22/4277796/catching-up-with-malek-awab Catching up with Malek Awab] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060606/http://junpiterfutbol.com/post/11059865297/jpf-talk-featuring-malek-awab JPT Talk - Featuring Malek Awab]

{{S-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box|title=Singapore national team captain|before=Au Yeong Pak Kuan|after=Razali Saad |years=1985-1986}} {{S-end}}

{{Navboxes | title = Singapore squads | bg = #E51937 | fg = #FFF | bordercolor = | list1 = {{Singapore squad 1984 AFC Asian Cup}}}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malek Awab}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Singaporean men's footballers Category:Singapore men's international footballers Category:FIFA Men's Century Club Category:Kuala Lumpur City F.C. players Category:Singapore FA players Category:Geylang International FC players Category:1984 AFC Asian Cup players Category:Footballers at the 1990 Asian Games Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:SEA Games silver medalists for Singapore Category:SEA Games bronze medalists for Singapore Category:SEA Games medalists in football Category:Competitors at the 1981 SEA Games Category:Asian Games footballers for Singapore {{Singapore-footy-bio-stub}}